Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk, many people know him because of his famous trick, the 900, but there is much more than meets the eye. Tony Hawk is my hero because he meets our group’s definition of a hero, someone who you emulate, someone who has accomplished the extraordinary, and is different due to what they’ve done. Tony has had to overcome many obstacles in his life because he skateboards. The smallest obstacle he has had to overcome is broken bones and the hardest thing he has had overcome, is not being liked for what he did best, skateboarding.

Tony Hawk came into this world on a skateboard on May 12, 1968 in San Diego, California. Tony Hawk was always a skinny, tall kid with no friends. Tony never found the right sport until his older brother gave him a blue fiberglass banana skateboard. Hawk’s brother changed his life forever.

Tony began skateboarding at age 10. Tony was considered a “gifted” child because he had a 12 year-old mind in an 8 year-old body. Tony was never good at sports because he always tried too hard and when he made a mistake, he was too hard on himself. His whole family decided that skateboarding was perfect for Tony.

Tony Hawk became pro in 1982 and was sponsored from Powell and Peralta. When Hawk became pro in high school, his dad would drive him up and down the West Coast for skateboarding competitions. No one liked Tony because he skateboarded. There were only two other skateboarders in his whole high school. Since becoming pro Tony has won over 56 first place trophies, and many second and third place trophies too.

Tony Hawk also currently owns Birdhouse Skateboard Co. with Per Wilender. Birdhouse is known by skateboarders around the world for excellent vert skateboards. There are four skateboarding games featuring Tony, named Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Tony has invented over 84 tricks including Backside Varial, Shove-It Rock “N” Roll, Fingerflip Backside Air, Airwalk, Madonna, Stalefish, Nosegrind, The 900, The 720, Ollie 540, Varial 540, Frontside Blunt and many, many more. Tony Hawk 32, is married, and has two kids which he hopes will be as good at skateboarding as he is. Tony Hawk currently lives in San Juan, California.